TheLotter Review
TheLotter is an online lottery ticket purchasing service established in 2002, initially focusing on non-US markets. More recently, TheLotter entered the US market as an authorized lottery courier service for customers in select states.
The primary selling point behind TheLotter is convenience. Through TheLotter’s website and mobile apps, players can save a trip to the store and purchase official lottery tickets from anywhere within state lines.
TheLotter is currently operational in Minnesota, Texas, and Oregon, where it has the permission of state authorities to offer its services. We expect to see TheLotter enter additional US markets over the near and long term.
For those questioning if TheLotter is legit, the answer is yes. With a long track record and the blessing of local regulators, TheLotter is an established and reputable service that conforms to all state and federal laws.
How TheLotter Works
TheLotter operates as a lottery messenger service, which is another way to say it purchases tickets on your behalf.
Buying lottery tickets with TheLotter is simple:
- Visit TheLotter.com or launch the mobile app and log in to your account
- Choose your game (Mega Millions, Powerball, local drawings, etc.)
- Pick your numbers or let TheLotter make random selections
- Submit your order
After you submit an order, TheLotter sends agents to purchase official lottery tickets on your behalf from an authorized retailer. TheLotter will then scan and upload a copy of every ticket to your account for safekeeping.
If you have a winner, TheLotter will notify you and automatically credit small winnings to your account. For larger prizes, TheLotter will arrange a way for you to collect your winning ticket so you can claim your prize directly from the state lottery.
TheLotter charges a convenience fee at the time of purchase but pays all prizes commission-free. Anything you win from a ticket purchased through TheLotter is 100% yours to keep.
Players can purchase one ticket at a time, play one or more lines per drawing, purchase entries into multiple draws at once, or establish ongoing subscriptions at a discount.
TheLotter Mobile App Review
TheLotter offers standalone iOS and Android apps for each state in which it operates.
For example, Texas players need to search for TheLotter Texas in the App store to ensure they get the correct version. Alternatively, players from anywhere can visit TheLotter.com to find the proper download links for their locations.
The app homepage provides an overview of all draw games in your state, including current jackpots, time until the next drawing, and menu items to view other features and manage your account.
Players will find the app easy to use, with step-by-step instructions for making purchases and a simple navigation setup.
Buying a lottery ticket through the mobile app involves four steps:
- Log in and select your game
- Select the number of lines you would like to play
- Make your picks or let TheLotter select random numbers
- Submit and confirm your order
Mobile App Features
Lottery players can download the mobile app from anywhere and use most features without signing up for an account or being within the boundaries of a state served by TheLotter.
Features available to everyone include:
- View latest results
- Jackpot and results alerts
- Check for winning numbers
Features available to real money buyers include:
Systematic Forms
Select this option to pick additional numbers and have the app create every possible combination of numbers from your selections.
For example, you can play a five-number game, select seven numbers, and the app will create 21 lines covering every combination of numbers from your seven selections.
Syndicates
Syndicates pool everyone’s money together to play many lines and split any prizes evenly. In this manner, players can play many more numbers than they could otherwise afford or justify for a better chance to win.
TheLotter supports syndicate play by pre-purchasing large batches of lottery tickets ahead of drawings so everything is set up ahead of time for players. All you have to do is choose how many shares you would like to purchase, and TheLotter will handle the rest.
For example, a Powerball syndicate might purchase 100 lines to give every member 100 chances to win. If that syndicate issues 100 shares, each share would be worth 1% of the prize pool. The more shares you purchase, the bigger your share of any winnings.
Bundles
Bundles combine individual play with syndicate play, so you can get the dual advantages of selecting your own numbers while simultaneously participating in a group.
When you purchase a bundle, any winnings associated with your personal numbers are 100% yours. Meanwhile, any winnings from your syndicate lines are split among all group members.
As TheLotter explains, every bundle is tailor-made. The number of lines and the types of syndicates included vary from one bundle to the next.
Subscriptions
TheLotter offers subscriptions for all draw games with pricing discounts. Players can purchase a subscription by choosing a game, picking their numbers or random picks, and selecting the subscription option before submitting their order.
If you purchase a subscription, you will be automatically entered into every draw until you cancel the subscription and pay as you go. You can cancel the subscription at any time, change your numbers at will, and receive every 10th ticket free.
With subscriptions and multi-draw purchases, customers can enter anywhere from 1-25 lines per draw.
Multi-Draw Purchases
A multi-draw purchase works like a limited subscription. Players select their game, choose their numbers, and specify how many consecutive drawings they would like to play. If you purchase a multi-draw entry, you pay for the whole thing upfront and will face no further charges after it ends.
TheLotter offers pricing discounts based on the number of drawings the player purchases upfront:
- 5 Draws: 2.5% discount
- 10 draws: 3.5% discount
- 15 draws: 5% discount
- 25 draws: 7.5% discount
- 52 draws: 10% discount
See Your Ticket Service
TheLotter scans an image of every ticket you order and uploads it to your account area. Players can view their scanned ticket images ahead of each drawing by logging in online or through the mobile app and visiting the My Account area.
Mobile App Screenshots
TheLotter Texas
TheLotter has offered its services in Texas since 2019 and purchases tickets to various games on behalf of customers.
Currently, TheLotter Texas offers tickets for the following games:
- Mega Millions
- Lotto Texas
- Texas Two Step
- Cash Five Texas
- Mega Millions: Just the Jackpot
- Lotto Texas Extra
Per state law, customers must be 18 or older and physically located within state lines to register and play with TheLotter Texas.
In Texas, TheLotter pays all winnings under $600 directly to your account after receiving payment from the Texas Lottery Commission. For prizes of $600 or greater, TheLotter will contact you to arrange delivery of the physical ticket so you can claim your prize directly from the Texas Lottery.
TheLotter Oregon
TheLotter Oregon offers its services to customers who are 18 or older and physically located within state lines. Customers can order tickets to the following Oregon Lottery games:
- Powerball
- Mega Millions
- Megabucks
Although TheLotter is not officially affiliated with the Oregon Lottery, the state is aware of its operations and values the service the company provides to the state.
In a 2020 memo, Oregon Lottery Director Barry Pack acknowledged TheLotter’s contributions to state lottery sales.
In the memo, Barry Pack requested the commission to provide an alternative compensation model to two local lottery retailers (Produce Row and the Independent Sports Bar & Grill) that have partnered with TheLotter for several years now on ticket purchases. He urged the commission to consider his proposal to avoid the risk of TheLotter moving its business operations elsewhere and the OR Lottery “losing revenues we would otherwise be unable to generate.”
TheLotter’s ties to the Oregon Lottery date back to even before it offered its services to US residents. In 2016, an Iraqi man purchased an Oregon Lottery ticket through TheLotter and won a $6.4 million jackpot.
The Oregon Lottery investigated the circumstances of the ticket purchase and paid the man his winnings in-person after TheLotter flew the man to Oregon to claim his payout. The Oregon Lottery usually discloses the names of winners but made an exception for the man due to fears he would be targeted back home.
TheLotter Minnesota
TheLotter launched in Minnesota in early 2022 for customers 18 or older and physically located within state lines.
Minnesota lottery players can order official tickets for the following games:
- Mega Millions
- Powerball
- Lotto America
- Gopher 5
- Northstar Cash
An FAQ page at TheLotter’s website states it entered Minnesota after receiving a legal opinion confirming its business model complies with state and federal laws. TheLotter is not formally associated with the Minnesota Lottery, but it instead acts as a delivery service that purchases MN Lottery tickets on behalf of customers.
In Minnesota, TheLotter pays all winnings of $600 or less directly to customers’ accounts. From there, they can withdraw their winnings electronically. For wins over $600, TheLotter MN contacts players to arrange the secure transfer of their physical tickets so they can claim their prizes in person from the state lottery.
Deposit and Withdrawal Options
TheLotter deposit methods vary by state. You can see a complete list of banking methods and instructions by logging in to your account and visiting the Deposit screen.
Some of the most common deposit methods customers will find include:
- Mastercard debit cards
- Discover credit cards
- ACH / electronic bank transfer
- $5,000 maximum deposit for all methods
Generally, all winnings under $600 are credited straight to players’ accounts. From there, customers can withdraw funds via electronic transfer directly to their bank accounts or back to the credit/debit card used to deposit.